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History

Tom and Maude Foster are siblings that grew up in and attended schools in Arlington. Maude Foster was a 2nd-grade teacher in Arlington for 42 years. She retired from teaching in 1979.

Tom Foster was a local businessman and served on the AISD school board for 13 years. He retired from the board in 1973.

Mr. Foster passed away in 2011 at the age of 91.

Tom Foster's Obituary

Tom Foster (1920 - 2011) Tom Foster passed away Saturday, Dec. 17, 2011. Tom was born Aug. 6, 1920, in Iredell. He was the sixth child of Emmett Boyd Foster and Zuellah Weeks Foster. The family moved to Arlington in 1922. Tom graduated from Arlington High School and attended North Texas Agricultural College (UTA). In 1941, Tom married Clevie Winnell Stough, a marriage that was in its 70th year at the time of his death. Tom entered the Army Air Corps in 1942 and was a reciprocating engine mechanic on the B-26 Marauder, later becoming an instructor on the Pratt & Whitney R2800 engine. Upon his return from the service, Tom joined his father and brothers in the wholesale poultry and egg business founded by his father in 1927. Foster's eggs were produced on a farm with 350,000 laying hens in Britton. The business was sold to Cargill Grain Co. In 1970 Tom founded T.W. Foster Construction, a commercial general contracting firm that constructed many buildings in the Metroplex, Texas and as far as Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Tom was a lifelong member of First United Methodist Church in Arlington, serving on many boards and committees. He was president of the Fort Worth chapter of the Associated General Contractors of America. Over a period of 13 years he was a member, then president of the Arlington school board of trustees. Foster Elementary School is named in honor of Tom and his sister, Maude, who taught second grade at Kooken Elementary. Tom was a friend to many and a loving father, grandfather and great-grandfather; he was deeply respected by his family. He loved to fish and many good times were had at Toledo Bend. He was preceded in death by his parents and five siblings. Survivors: Wife, Clevie; daughter, Rebecca Johnson and husband, Dick, of Round Rock; son, Tommy and wife, Karen, of Arlington; grandchildren, Jeff Coleman, Brett Coleman, Brian Coleman, Heather Sautter, Abby Foster, T.W. Foster III and Peyton Thomas; and 11 great-grandchildren.